Static light scattering from poly(ethylene oxide) in methanol

Abstract

Static light scattering measurements were performed on dilute solutions of monodisperse poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in methanol at 25°C. PEOs of five different molecular weights ranging from nominal Mw = 8.6 × 104 to 9.13 × 105 were used. Linear Zimm plots were obtained for all the PEO samples: no downturn was observed at small angles, indicating that no large aggregates of PEO molecules exist in the solution. From the plots, values of the weight-average molecular weight, Mw, the radius gyration, RG, and the second virial coefficient, A2, were successfully determined for respective PEOs. Observed relationship between RG and Mw indicates that methanol is certainly a good solvent for the polymer. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.